Last month a close relative bought a used '95 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Being the people they are the didn't think twice about checking the car over and replacing wear items as necessary. Fast forward to last night around 10P.M. I get a call that they are "stranded" up town and need a ride home. I get to pull put of the drive way and they are getting ready to pull in. Get the car to the garage and its just a belt. A broken belt caused a shouting match and stress levels to rise of everyone at the house last night. This morning got the belt and in 35 mins it was good to go. My point of this tread is to remind us that belts and hoses do in fact need to be checked and replaced at mileage intervals or if you take ownership of a used car. A few hours changing these items might save time and frustration later. The next thing they need to replace is the timing belt as the 2.0L in the car is an interference engine. Happy Trails
Belts last forever!?
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I surprised at the automotive "illiteracy" in the general populace. Most have never read the owner's manual on the car, which clearly spells out those kinds of maintenance requirements...
And when that belt breaks, they will say, "Oh, that (insert manufacturer here), they make junk!"
Sigh...
And when that belt breaks, they will say, "Oh, that (insert manufacturer here), they make junk!"
Sigh...
Belts and hoses are probably the 2 things I go over with a fine tooth comb on a regular basis. That and tires and batteries. All are things that will leave you stranded if they fail.
I checked my belts and hoses regularly and I had a low mileage Subaru RS (1999, the precursor to the WRX)
Well my head gasket blew on my Subaru -and let me tell you- THAT will leave you stranded.
While driving on the highway, I looked in my review, all of the sudden, I was leaving a vapor trail like an F-16, looked at the temp gauge and the needle was threw the red. It was a matter of seconds. Not even enough time to react.
$ Cha ching $- new engine...
Well my head gasket blew on my Subaru -and let me tell you- THAT will leave you stranded.
While driving on the highway, I looked in my review, all of the sudden, I was leaving a vapor trail like an F-16, looked at the temp gauge and the needle was threw the red. It was a matter of seconds. Not even enough time to react.
$ Cha ching $- new engine...
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Wasn't there a guy on here who had relatives with a Mitsubishi who were convinced changing the timing belt wasn't necessary?
Originally Posted By: exranger06
Wasn't there a guy on here who had relatives with a Mitsubishi who were convinced changing the timing belt wasn't necessary?
That I am not sure of.. But I wouldn't risk it. That belt goes that engine is toast..
Wasn't there a guy on here who had relatives with a Mitsubishi who were convinced changing the timing belt wasn't necessary?
That I am not sure of.. But I wouldn't risk it. That belt goes that engine is toast..
i have family members that think replacing serpentine belts (prevenative maintenance) is a waste of money. i just don't talk about it with them anymore.
Funny this should come up. Having lunch with a customer today and he has a 199x Toyota Camry with the 3.0L V6. Over 200K miles and on the original timing belt.
I suggested he get it changed since it may be an interference engine and it does have a timing belt.
But apparently they do last close to forever
I suggested he get it changed since it may be an interference engine and it does have a timing belt.
But apparently they do last close to forever
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Funny this should come up. Having lunch with a customer today and he has a 199x Toyota Camry with the 3.0L V6. Over 200K miles and on the original timing belt.
I suggested he get it changed since it may be an interference engine and it does have a timing belt.
But apparently they do last close to forever
Yep they can last a long time, most OEM's use high quality belts as well. But it's silly to risk it by not replacing it. $10-30 belt or possibility of breaking down on the road and having possibly bent valves/cracked cylinder heads. Personally I think timing chains are superior, not many people keep their cars up until the point where a chain might need replacing.
Accessory belts aren't nearly as severe but they are cheap and not difficult to replace. Not difficult because there definitely are some tight engine bays out there where "easy" would not be the term I'd use for replacing an accessory belt.
Funny this should come up. Having lunch with a customer today and he has a 199x Toyota Camry with the 3.0L V6. Over 200K miles and on the original timing belt.
I suggested he get it changed since it may be an interference engine and it does have a timing belt.
But apparently they do last close to forever
Yep they can last a long time, most OEM's use high quality belts as well. But it's silly to risk it by not replacing it. $10-30 belt or possibility of breaking down on the road and having possibly bent valves/cracked cylinder heads. Personally I think timing chains are superior, not many people keep their cars up until the point where a chain might need replacing.
Accessory belts aren't nearly as severe but they are cheap and not difficult to replace. Not difficult because there definitely are some tight engine bays out there where "easy" would not be the term I'd use for replacing an accessory belt.
I replaced the belts and hoses, right after I bought my subie. I had the timing belt done at 100K also.
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Funny this should come up. Having lunch with a customer today and he has a 199x Toyota Camry with the 3.0L V6. Over 200K miles and on the original timing belt.
I suggested he get it changed since it may be an interference engine and it does have a timing belt.
But apparently they do last close to forever
See "Mitsubishi 3.0L v6". The timing belts rarely fail on those. Actually they tend to outlive the valve guides and cylinder heads, but that's another issue...
At the other extreme, see "Chrysler Turbo III" (that's the Spirit R/T and Daytona IROC R/T engine, 32-valve DOHC turbo). Timing belts were lucky to make it 20k miles on those, but then it was basically an engineering prototype engine rushed into (limited) production.
Funny this should come up. Having lunch with a customer today and he has a 199x Toyota Camry with the 3.0L V6. Over 200K miles and on the original timing belt.
I suggested he get it changed since it may be an interference engine and it does have a timing belt.
But apparently they do last close to forever
See "Mitsubishi 3.0L v6". The timing belts rarely fail on those. Actually they tend to outlive the valve guides and cylinder heads, but that's another issue...
At the other extreme, see "Chrysler Turbo III" (that's the Spirit R/T and Daytona IROC R/T engine, 32-valve DOHC turbo). Timing belts were lucky to make it 20k miles on those, but then it was basically an engineering prototype engine rushed into (limited) production.
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Personally I think timing chains are superior, not many people keep their cars up until the point where a chain might need replacing.
I have a chain in the F150 and a belt in the Protoge'. The good thing about the belt is there is less metal on metal contact (sliding, rolling, rubbing). Just trying to lightly play devils advocate. You mentioned the good point of a chain. I'll take either and be happy.
Personally I think timing chains are superior, not many people keep their cars up until the point where a chain might need replacing.
I have a chain in the F150 and a belt in the Protoge'. The good thing about the belt is there is less metal on metal contact (sliding, rolling, rubbing). Just trying to lightly play devils advocate. You mentioned the good point of a chain. I'll take either and be happy.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
^ I like the AC, PS, and alternator on one belt and the water pump on another. Or put the alt with the water pump. I bet the alt is a big source of drag and wear though with its small circumference pulley.
Many manufacturers these days turn the water pump off the back side of the timing belt. I never liked that, but I do have to say that wife's 93 Mopar 3.5L ran >250k miles and only failed one water pump... and the timing belt didn't jump (because the smoke pouring off of the roasting belt made her pull over and shut down before that happened...)
At least the first-gen 3.5 was a non-interference engine... there are a lot of interference designs that put the timing belt at risk turning the water pump. Technically, I know that an idler/tensioner is about as likely to seize up as a water pump, but it still just seems wrong to me.
^ I like the AC, PS, and alternator on one belt and the water pump on another. Or put the alt with the water pump. I bet the alt is a big source of drag and wear though with its small circumference pulley.
Many manufacturers these days turn the water pump off the back side of the timing belt. I never liked that, but I do have to say that wife's 93 Mopar 3.5L ran >250k miles and only failed one water pump... and the timing belt didn't jump (because the smoke pouring off of the roasting belt made her pull over and shut down before that happened...)
I just replaced the original drive belt on my 99' Ranger and it was still serviceable. It had more cracks on the V side than I liked so in went a new belt, but the back side still looked good.
On another note, I was replacing a valve cover gasket this weekend and an original heater hose was in the way. I was trying to remove it from a plastic valve and the plastic broke!
I'm a lot more worried about all the plastic under the hood than the rubber. The intake manifold on my Ranger is plastic as is part of the radiator that is starting to leak.
On another note, I was replacing a valve cover gasket this weekend and an original heater hose was in the way. I was trying to remove it from a plastic valve and the plastic broke!
I'm a lot more worried about all the plastic under the hood than the rubber. The intake manifold on my Ranger is plastic as is part of the radiator that is starting to leak.
I had a friend that called me up one day to see if I could look at his (IIRC) 1st gen Intrepid with the 3.3 V6. He said it acted strange the whole way home from work the previous night and wanted my opinion. This car had already more than earned its jalopy status, including a dead instrument panel so he couldn't elaborate any. I opened the hood with the intention of just poking around to see if anything obvious was wrong. This car had a jack screw to tension the serpentine belt and thought maybe the belt had stretched enough that it was loose. Instead of being loose it came out in my hand. It must have broken right at startup or just before he got to work and had just sat there on the pulleys so when he looked things over in the dark nothing seem odd. He had driven the 30 interstate miles home with none of the accessories turning. The radiator was completely dry but I guess the beast was able to survive by slowly boiling itself dry. I still shake my head at how that car was able to live on after that with just a new belt and fresh coolant.
I seem to remember reading where belt life is a factor of bending (pulley sizes) and time in operation. The old Ford Escort had a short timing belt life, 40 to 60 thousand miles and they'd break. Fortunately that was a noninterference engine.
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